Shloka 24
Draupadī’s Exhortation on Rājadharma and Daṇḍa (द्रौपद्याः राजधर्मोपदेशः)
उत्तरेण महामेरो: शाकद्वीपेन सम्मित: । भद्राश्वः पुरुषव्यात्र दण्डेन मृदितस्त्वया
uttareṇa mahāmeroḥ śākadvīpena sammitāḥ | bhadrāśvaḥ puruṣavyāghra daṇḍena mṛditas tvayā
ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಮಹಾಮೇರುವಿನ ಉತ್ತರದಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಕದ್ವೀಪದ ಪ್ರಮಾಣಕ್ಕೆ ಸಮಾನವಾದ ಒಂದು ಪ್ರದೇಶವಿದೆ; ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಭದ್ರಾಶ್ವ (ದೇಶ/ಜನ) ಇದೆ. ಹೇ ಪುರುಷವ್ಯಾಘ್ರ! ಅದನ್ನೂ ನೀನು ನಿನ್ನ ದಂಡದಿಂದ ಮೃದಿತಮಾಡಿ ವಶಪಡಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದೀ.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse invokes daṇḍa—royal authority and punishment—as a dharmic instrument for maintaining order. Ethical governance is implied: power is justified when used to restrain disorder and establish stability, not for personal cruelty.
Vaiśampāyana describes a cosmographic setting around Meru and names regions such as Śākadvīpa and Bhadrāśva, while addressing a heroic figure as “puruṣavyāghra,” stating that Bhadrāśva has been brought under control by that person’s exercise of authority (daṇḍa).